Watch out for signs of burnout

I frequently felt burnout without knowing why, guess these pointers are helpful to identify and prevent burnout for myself as well as having a lookout for family members, so as to live a healthy lifestyle.

Warning signs about one experiencing too much stress

• Having trouble sleeping or eating?
• Have lost interest in activities that you previously enjoyed?
• Have persistent headaches and body pain?
• Feel exhausted all the time, or fall sick often?
• Feel anxious, irritable or restless most of the time?

Tips to prevent burnout

• Start by identifying the stressors in your life. See if you can eliminate some of them.
• Ask yourself if you are being unrealistic in your commitments or expectations.
• Take a course on proper time management and/or relaxation techniques.
• Get sufficient sleep as well as regular and balanced meals.
• Engage in regular exercise, even if for just a few minutes every day.
• Don’t hesitate to talk it over with family, friends, colleagues or a health care provider.

http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/HealthatWork/Pages/watch-out-for-signs-of-burnout.aspx

Development of Aqua Aerobics in SG

I found that over the year aqua aerobics begin to find its way to the people living in Singapore. People are more aware of the existence of such exercise. For the first time, my class has intake of 2 males and they are joining us for another season. Naturally I thought of writing another post to continue where I stopped in my first aqua aerobics post on where to learn aqua aerobics

Just like pilates, instructors are coming out with variations for aqua aerobics to make more money. I am still the die-hard fan for origin of the exercise both for pilates and aqua aerobics. I think it is the same for my aqua instructor, who believes in proper workout of body parts rather than all the fancy trendy stuff. My aqua instructor keeps a low profile, so you can hardly google her on the website, yet she has a pool of faithful students. Some are with her for more than 10 years already. She teaches both public and private (specially needs children). She was actually interviewed by some media, but I couldn't find them on the web. Only manage to find a short section about Ms Vikki Jonied at Run Society Website.

There are new trendy aqua classes available in the market of Singapore

• Aqua Aerobics (origin or traditional aqua workout)
• Deep Water Workout
• Aqua Spin (latest in thing)
• Aqua Pilates (pilates workout in water, errh wonder whether student can take the cold without warming up the body)
• Aquarobics (actual land aerobics into water, different from original aqua workout)

Deep Water Workout

The difference between Deep Water Workout (DWW) and Aqua Aerobics is that DWW doesn't touch the floor of the pool at all. You would need to wear the float belt to keep you afloat all the time. The workouts are difference from Aqua Aerobics and hence also workout different parts of the muscles. The main advantage of DWW is that it allows athletes to carry out high-intensity workouts without causing undue stress on their muscles and joints. It is recommended for patients with arthritis, asthma, obesity and other chronic ailments.

Aquarobics

The term is interchangeable with Aqua Aerobics but don't mix them up. As Aqua Aerobics get popular, aerobics instructors got interested and take up trainer course to become aqua instructor. At the back of their minds, they want to integrate their area of expertise on land aerobics directly into the water, to come up with a new variations for aqua. In simple term is basically take the exact aerobics on land into the water. But the danger is that they overlook the difference between land and water. Hence the workout cannot be exactly the same. Any side effect, I have no idea, as it really depends on whether the instructor is doing it for the good of the health/fitness or for $$$.

Aqua Pilates

It is the similar concept as aqua aerobics.

Aqua Spin

It uses stationary bicycles specially made to be submerged in water, where participants can pedal using the water resistance in order to exercise. Aquatic Spinning is a revolutionary way of exercising which combines the benefits of water swimming/aqua aerobics and cycling.

You may also like the post below

Where to learn aqua aerobics

Carriers cracking down on overweight carry-on bags

I guess the airlines are noticing an increase weights from handheld baggages. Yah I always saw many people carry bulky carry-on bags on the plane, and wonder why can't they just check in the baggages. I think they just want to avoid being charge for overweight when check-in the luggages, yet if everyone think the same way, then they are endangering the lives of everyone. How then will the airlines know the exact weight on board the craft, to know that it is within the safety weight ratio limit. Beside they took up the space unnecessarily for those genuine cases and may block the evacuation path.

Many may think it is ridiculous to check on the handheld baggages, but if you have watch Air Crash documentary show, you will know that even slight weight difference matter. It can cause life or death to the crew and all passengers. Yes there are air crashes due to overweight that burden the air carriage from the lack of safety weight ratio check. Learning from pass accidents, it is a safety regulation that all airlines have to abide to ensure that the air plane is within the safety weight ratio before take off, to prevent future mistake make to avoid risking the lives of many.

I hope that everyone can just be more considerate, so that we can all have a safe journey. Who know it might be just your little act that save the lives of many and yours too.

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/carriers-cracking-down-overweight-carry-bags-20140223

How malaria parasite beats top insecticides

It was discovered that parasite that causes malaria no longer 'afraid' of DDT and insecticides used in anti-malaria bednets. This little blood sucking creature is so intelligent, goes for mutation and can resist insecticide. What are you afraid of, so I don't get 'kiss' by you and get infected with malaria or dengue. It is surely of much concern how to keep children safe from the bites.

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/technology/story/revealed-how-malaria-parasite-beats-top-insecticides-20140225

Tips To Overcome Sleep Problems

I guess I have sleeping problems, as I am not rested well even with 8 hours of sleeps. I think I do not have good habits and affect my overall health being. I should make effort to do so.

6 tips to overcome by HealthXchange.

• stay away from bright lights at night
• keep your computer or laptop away from your bedroom or bed
• keep a to-do-list
• develop a regular sleep pattern
• avoid caffeine and caffeinated drinks up to 14 hours before bedtime
• drink a glass of warm milk

https://www.facebook.com/HealthXchange/photos/a.162734231885.127308.144341026885/10151862758836886/?type=1&theater

Use of pain reliever in pregnancy may linked to risk of ADHD

I only get to know ADHD this term when 1 of my ex-colleagues was diagnosed with it at the age of around 30. He will lack concentration and cannot control his temper, which I hearsay from other colleagues who worked closely with him. The article with ADHD hence caught my attention.

The new discovery is that use of pain reliever Acetaminophen used in pregnancy is linked to increase risk of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children. However more studies are needed to confirm this. Guess researchers are trying to find out what is the cause of the worldwide increase of ADHD cases which is a neuro-behavioural condition

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/technology/story/us-pain-reliever-acetaminophen-pregnancy-linked-risk-adhd-20140225

3D Pavement Drawing

Amazing 3D illusions!.Julian Beever's 3D pavement drawings......
To see more of his drawings, check out the website of julianbeever.net

How To Stay Awake Without Caffeine

With multi roles to play for women, we are usually lack of sleep. Yet still need to keep awake for the constant demands of our attention. Sometime coffee doesn't help any more for staying awake. So there are alternative like:

• exercising and stretching
• acupressure
• exposing yourself to bring light
• lowering the temperature
• chewing
• using of aromatherapy

http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/SpecialFocus/Pages/How-to-Stay-Awake-Without-Caffeine.aspx

Interesting SG Abbreviation

I received an email regarding Singapore abbreviation donkey years back. Note this post is in no way against or making fun of the authority. Just find that whoever come out with this is very creative ...... for pleasure reading only.

In Singapore, the majority of us live in Highly Dangerous Buildings (HDB),

And most people have already got used to Paying and Paying (PAP).

Not only do you have to pay, you Pay Until Bankrupt (PUB).

If that's not enough, somebody still Purposely Wants to Dig (PWD) and get more from you.

So what more can you do when you are in the Money Only Environment (MOE)?

With the current Mad Accounting System (MAS),

you are forced to Pay the Sum Ahead (PSA),

Which will leave some people Permanently Owing Some Banks (POSB).

And forced to live on the Loan Techniques Always (LTA) system.

When you fall sick and happen to be admitted to a Money Operating Hospital (MOH),

You might be able to use your Cash Prior to Funeral (CPF) fund.

If you are out of luck, you may meet doctors who Never Use Heart (NUH) to treat you,

And you will be Sure to Give up Hope (SGH).

To help ease the traffic, motorists have to pay Cash On Expressway (COE).

If that doesn't help, they can always Eternally Raise Prices (ERP) on the roads.

If you don't own a car, you can always make a Mad Rush to the Train (MRT),

OR get squashed in a bus Side By Side (SBS).

Lastly, under all these pressures, there are not many places we can relax. Not even the good old place we used to go because it has become So Expensive and Nothing To See Actually (SENTOSA)!!!

Animator Vs Animation II

I got an email from a friend many years ago.

It was awesome and thought of sharing.

Enjoy and hope it makes your Monday blues go away.

Wonder Why You Are More 'Delicious' To Mosquitoes

It seems that I am always more popular with mosquitoes compare to my friends. I always thought that it was due to my blood type. After reading the Strait Times article, it seems like blood type is not the main cause of me being bitten.

New research has listed factors such as

• Blood type
• Carbon dioxide
• Exercise and metabolism
• Skin bacteria
• Beer
• Pregnancy

Something To Think About

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall
to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?", the mouse wondered.
He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard,
the mouse proclaimed this warning :
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"



The chicken clucked and scratched,
raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse,
I can tell this is a grave concern to you,
but it is of no consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it."


The mouse turned to the pig and told him,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"


The pig sympathized, but said,
"I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse,
but there is nothing I can do about it
but pray..
Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"



The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you,
but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house,
head down and dejected,
to face the farmer's mousetrap
. . . Alone . . .

That very night
a sound was heard throughout the house
-- the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.
In the darkness, she did not see it.
It was a venomous snake
whose tail was caught in the trap.

The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital.

When she returned home she still had a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever
with fresh chicken soup.
So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard
for the soup's main ingredient:


But his wife's sickness continued.
Friends and neighbors
came to sit with her
around the clock.
To feed them,
the farmer butchered the pig.



But, alas,
the farmer's wife did not get well...
She died.



So many people came for her funeral
that the farmer had the cow slaughtered
to provide enough meat for all of them
for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all
from his crack in the wall
with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear
someone is facing a problem
and you think it doesn't concern you,
remember ---


When one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out for one another
and make an extra effort
to encourage one another.




- REMEMBER -

EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD
IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY.

OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER
FOR A REASON.

Check How Stress Are You

Please take test to check how stress are you....

The Banana Test

There is a very, very tall coconut tree and there are 4 animals. King Kong, an Ape, an Orangutan and a Monkey pass by. They decide to compete to see who is the fastest to get a banana off the tree. Who do you guess will win?

Your answer will reflect your personality.

Think carefully . . . Try and answer within 30 seconds

Got your answer?

Now scroll down to see the analysis.

If your answer is:

Orangutan = you're sick

Ape = you need a break

Monkey = worse, you suppose to be in the hospital right now..

King Kong = I think you better take 1 year leave..
.......



Why?! ????



.......



A Coconut tree doesn't have bananas!

Obviously you're stressed and overworked.
Take some time off and relax! ☺

A Bear, A Lion And A Pig Meets

Interesting conversation when a bear, a lion and a pig meets......

Bear says: "if I roar in the forest, the entire forest is shivering with fear."

Lion says: "if I roar in the jungle, the entire jungle is afraid of me."

Pig says: "big deal.... I only have to cough, and the entire planet lives in fear.